This week on Georgia On Your Mind, Geovana Oliveira sits down with Rebecca Ross at the Love Y’all Fest in Atlanta, Georgia, who shares her journey from college student to full-time fantasy author. She reflects on finding her path, from exploring different majors at UGA to trusting her instincts and pursuing her passion for storytelling.

Rebecca talks about the challenges of her early career and shares how music, nature, and her life in the Appalachian foothills of Georgia inspire her worlds and characters. Rebecca also opens up about her experience with endometriosis, discussing advocacy, resilience, and how personal challenges have shaped the themes in her writing.

This week on Georgia On Your Mind, Maya Jarrell sits down with Chris Green at the Georgia Student Finance Commission office in Decatur, Georgia to discuss his journey from Athens native to President of the Commission. He reflects on how receiving the HOPE Scholarship shaped his opportunities, guided his education at the University of Georgia, and inspired him to dedicate his career to making higher education more accessible.

Chris shares insights on leading initiatives like GEORGIA MATCH, supporting students who may never have considered college, and busting myths about financial aid. From navigating his own career path to shaping Georgia’s future talent pipeline, he offers a candid look at leadership, opportunity, and the impact of investing in students.

This week on Georgia On Your Mind, Chris Sharp sits down with Maritza McClendon at the Freeman Aquatic Center at Greater Atlanta Christian School in Norcross, Georgia to reflect on her remarkable journey from San Juan, Puerto Rico to the Olympic stage. Diagnosed with severe scoliosis at just seven years old, Maritza first entered the pool as a form of therapy and quickly discovered a passion that would shape the rest of her life. That passion propelled her to a historic career at the University of Georgia, where she became a 27-time All-American and 11-time NCAA champion before earning a spot on the United States Olympic Team and capturing a silver medal in the 400-meter freestyle relay at the 2004 Summer Olympics. In doing so, she made history as the first woman of color to make the U.S. Olympic swim team.In our conversation, Maritza reflects on the perseverance required to overcome challenges, including missing the Olympic team in 2000 before returning four years later to secure her place on the Olympic roster. She also discusses her mission beyond competition through Swim 1922, a program focused on expanding swimming education and water safety in underserved communities.